Spain U21 Preview – Can Spanish get the result they need to finish top?

Spain still hold a chance of qualifying for the semi-finals following a very late winner against Belgium last time out. Having lost their opening game to hosts Italy the Spanish were in need of three points and they were able to get them, just. West Ham’s new signing Pablo Fornals scored in the 89th minute to ensure the clash with Poland is still important. What will be concerning for Spain is that they have yet to hit their stride in either match. Apart from that very strong start against Italy the performance levels have been some way below what we come to expect. It will have to be a much more rounded 90 minutes showing they are to get the win they need. Of course, they would then require Italy to drop points against Belgium.

Poland U21 – Will Poland gain the point needed to qualify?

When the draw for these Championships were made you would have been forgiven for thinking that Poland would be in control of things after two games. A come-from-behind win against Belgium last Sunday was followed by an impressive victory over Italy a few days later. That now puts them top of the section and need only a draw from this game to finish there. Arsenal’s Krystian Bielik scored his second goal of the competition in the 1-0 win over Italy and has been a pivotal player so far. It was a backs to the wall performance for much of the win over the Italians. Poland were extremely resolute and soaked up a huge amount of pressure, particularly in the second half. It was in stark contrast to how their first game panned out but showed that this is an adaptable squad. It’s likely they will have to be at their best defensively on Saturday.

Key-Facts – Spain U21 v Poland U21

Spain need to win and hope results elsewhere go their way in order to finish top of the group

Poland have won both their games in the group and require a point to reach the semi-finals

The Poles have yet to beat Spain in a competitive match, losing five times and drawing once

Spain U21 v Poland U21 Betting Advice

Whilst Poland have the advantage of only needing a draw to progress, they have a terrible record against the Spanish to overcome. In six competitive meetings Poland have never beaten Spain, with the record standing at five wins and a draw. The last of those meetings came back in 2010, however, so it’s definitely a record there to be broken. The difficulty for Spain is that a win may still not be good enough, certainly to finish in top spot. There is the possibility that all three teams could finish on six points and the team finishing in second qualify as the best runners up.

There are a number of permutations and how this could play out yet. For Spain to have any chance they need to win, though, and will required to put in a much better performance in order to do so. Poland are considered big outsides in this contest but will have no problem playing the underdog. Spain are yet to keep a clean sheet in this tournament and have looked vulnerable in defence, especially at set-pieces. Poland will look to counter when possible but always carry a threat and both teams to score looks like being a good value bet in this game.

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* All mentioned odds were valid at the time of writing. Betting odds are subject to fluctuations. Please check the current odds with the respective bookmaker!